Manly Sea Eagles not divided, says Daly Cherry-Evans

So here we are, sitting in a Narrabeen cafe across the table from the rarest of species: the NRL player in a one-on-one interview, away from a sponsors backdrop and a vipers nest of television mikes and tape recorders hissing below his nose.

Contending allegations: Cherry-Evans has faced rumours he was to blame for pushing Glenn Stewart out of the club. Photo: Getty Images

"Not at all," Cherry-Evans says. "We all have such a strong will to be successful that when all is said and done we make sure that when it comes to training and applying ourselves, we make sure that we're the best we can be every single day. I think that's the best thing about being at this club. Every individual at this club has high expectations – that's why we're successful, year after year."

But you are the reason Glenn Stewart has now played his last game for the club. You are the reason no contract was offered to a club legend. You are the star player and premiership-winning halfback and Parramatta is rumoured to want you, and now you've sucked the salary cap dry or you're about to, or that's what they're saying in the papers. You're doing something, Daly.

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Yes?

"I don't feel Glenn's contract and my contract have a bearing on each other at all," he says. "I'm still contracted next year, like a handful of players next year. For anyone to think my one contract has a bearing on Glenn's future contract is, I think, ridiculous. I don't feel any one player's contract at any club has such a big bearing, especially mine. Collectively, a group of contracts can. The salary cap is doing what it does best – trying to separate the best players at the best clubs."

Warms up during a training session at the Sydney Academy: Daly Cherry-Evans. Photo: Getty Images

What I find on this Thursday morning, though, is possibly the most articulate and thoughtful rugby league player I can recall interviewing in many years.

He had agreed to speak late last week, before Manly's defeat to Parramatta on the Friday night.

Cherry-Evans didn't grab that match by the scruff of its neck as he has others this year when he's prompted many to claim he is the competition's most valuable player.

If an interview is agreed to before a loss, it is often terminated. Injuries are usually tossed up as the reason. Not this week, mate. Things have changed.

"That's just not the way I was brought up," he says. "Everyone's different in how they move on in rugby league. Some take a week. I take a couple of days."

Cherry-Evans has always moved quicker than most.

This is his fourth season of first grade. He's won a grand final in his rookie year, lost a grand final since, played Origin for Queensland and Test matches for Australia. He will play his 101st match for the Sea Eagles when Manly host Penrith at Brookvale Oval on Sunday.

There's more. He became a father to a daughter, Navi, in February. Another baby to his long-time partner Vessa Rockliff is on the way.

A sobering thought: he's 25 years old.

So why the hurry?

"That's the obvious perception," he laughs, "but to be honest a lot of things that have fortunately happened in my life haven't been planned.

"Don't get me wrong I've always had aspirations to achieve what I've done in the game. For them to happen within a hundred games is a pleasure to be a part of. It's given me the opportunity to do that more often and hopefully for the rest of my career."

Cherry-Evans stands alone as the best halfback in the game right now. Despite his standing, he remains a mystery.

He describes himself as a "happy-go-lucky" footballer, who is besotted with his young family and the perspective they bring.

After Queensland lost Origin earlier this year, with Cherry-Evans steering the show in game two in the absence of an injured Cooper Cronk, coach Mal Meninga and his players assured him he wasn't to blame.

"Well, I said it," Cherry-Evans says. "I put a lot of pressure on myself post-game. I said that I felt the loss had a lot to do with the way I played. My teammates and the coach were quick to come out and defend me. Mal assured me that while the result wasn't what we wanted as a side, individually he didn't point the finger at me. I took a lot out of that. But then I went home and saw my daughter. That made me move on very quickly."

It's rare to hear him speak this candidly.

When we see him behind the sponsors backdrop, with the media gathering around and coming in for the kill, he never drops his guard. He's renowned for his ability to say a lot but very little.

"The only part of my job that's a chore – talking to media," he says. "Because it can be so scrutinised, and something so little can be taken and made into such a big deal. You need to be careful of what you say. It's unfortunate that the game has come to that but, as the game evolves, that's had a huge rise as well – what the media has control over. I have to have my back up sometimes and protect what I say and who I am saying it about."

I tell him other reporters, even some of his teammates, told me I wouldn't squeeze much out of him. He chuckles at the suggestion.

"So that's the unfortunate thing," he says. "I can't control what the media says about me. And I was lucky enough to learn that very quickly in my career. No matter what's said or spoken about me on the rugby league shows, I can't control what they're going to say.

"So I have to make sure I take it with a grain of salt and understand that's their opinion. That they are only one person. That I am only listening to the people who are important to my rugby league career. Some of them are media people. I take a lot out of what Peter Sterling says. He's a very wise man, and someone who has achieved so much. If he said something critical about my game then I would take it on board and fix it.

"Without sounding too self-indulgent, I try to make sure I get myself across what's been written about me. I like to know what people are talking about, and especially if it's revolving around myself because I feel as though if there are things being unfairly written about myself, that's something that I would bring up with someone."

There is media innuendo and gossip-mongering on Twitter, though Cherry-Evans is one of the few players who doesn't have an account, and then there are some inescapable truths.

Criticism might not be said to him directly from teammates and, according to those who know him well, he isn't the type to be dragged into team politics.

But, for several years, a headstrong senior player group has had as much sway at Manly as any board member.

The unwritten rule is that the senior player gets the money. Not the young buck. Not the 25-year-old. You wait your turn.

Cherry-Evans upset that balance of power when he won a premiership in his rookie year.

For reasons best known to them, some of those senior players have blamed Cherry-Evans for management's decision to squeeze out Stewart.

Fractured teams have won premierships and titles for decades. Exhibit A: the Australian cricket team. Exhibit B: the Manly Sea Eagles.

The Sea Eagles almost looked disinterested against the Titans in round 23.

When Cherry-Evans put in a poor kick on the second tackle of a set, Channel Nine expert Phil Gould said while he didn't engage in speculation, the side's form hinted at deeper problems.

This is the burden the Sea Eagles must bear whenever the side doesn't perform.

"I find it quite comical sometimes," Cherry-Evans says. "In the heat of all the speculation and media talk this year, at the height of all of this Manly saga, we went through a four-game winning streak. It was never written about how well we were playing together and what we were doing for each other out on the field."

He concedes, however, that's he not the "best of mates" with all of his teammates. Not that he has to be the best of mates with everyone.

"Yeah, that is fair to say," he says. "What relationship players have with each other outside of rugby league can go from being best mates to not messaging or having any contact outside of footy.

"There's nothing more than that … It's like school; you're not best mates with everyone, but it doesn't mean you don't go to school."

Speculation will continue to whirl until Cherry-Evans' contract, which expires at the end of next season, is upgraded.

"When the time is right for me to negotiate a new deal, I'll do what's best for my young family," he says. "In saying that, I would like to think I have enough integrity not to disturb any club in its recruiting and retention of players."

Manly's in the spotlight already after the loss to the Rabbitohs earlier this month and the Eels last week. Some say they're gone. Others have doubts. After the Panthers this week, the Cowboys are next and there could be no greater test heading into September footy.

"Every team goes through its ups and downs during a rugby league season," Cherry-Evans says. "Over the past three weeks, we've lulled a bit. But it's fair for everyone to write and criticise us, because we're not playing well. But you can only hope, come over the next two final games, we get the applause we deserve for playing well as a side. There are standards that need to be maintained here – no matter what the situation is."